Melbourne Nightlife Blog

15 July, 2008

Darwin drink driver spends $1100/week on beer

Michael Leary, a Darwin man who has been convicted for the seventh time for drink driving, spends almost $1100 a week on his favourite beer - Melbourne Bitter. Darwin Magistrates Court heard how the construction worker and father-of-four spends his $1440 post-tax pay packet; $150 on rent, $150 on transport (buses and taxis), $50 on his phone and the rest on beer. Enough money to buy 27 slabs of Melbourne Bitter a week according to News.com.au.

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Leary's defense lawyer Vannessa Farmer said Leary didn't drink "anything else" but Melbourne Bitter - and was "going on a bender" after his relationship broke down five years ago. She also mentioned he had gone "cold turkey" since his last arrest, participated in a rehab program and sold his motorbike.

Magistrate Vince Luppino said "(That is) poor judgement on two counts there - drinking that much and drinking Melbourne Bitter,", sending chuckles throughout the Court gallery. Describing his actions of speeding on his motorcycle while intoxicated and having no license in conjunction with his prior convictions of drink driving - including killing someone in 1989 - Mr Luppino said "You didn't learn... (and) that certainly acts as a black mark against you in my book."

He was convicted, fined $100, sentenced to a fully-suspended four-month jail term and is on a 12-month alcohol intervention order - which bans him from holding or buying beer. He has also lost his license for a further three years.

Source: News.com.au

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